Why automate approval processes
Manual approval chains mostly cost waiting time. Here is how to digitalise them without losing control.
Équipe Spring Next-GenProcess automation4 min read
In most organisations a purchase request spends 90% of its life waiting. Not being reviewed — waiting, in an inbox, between meetings, or while the approver is on leave.
Automating is not removing control
This is a common confusion. A well-designed workflow strengthens control: it applies thresholds consistently, records every decision, and makes visible exactly where a request is stuck.
- Threshold rules apply without exception or oversight.
- Every approval is timestamped and attributed.
- Absences trigger delegation instead of a blockage.
- Overdue items escalate automatically.
Start small
Pick a high-volume, low-complexity process — leave requests make an excellent first case. Measure average turnaround before, then after. That number will fund the next process far better than a slide deck.